


They Called Us Inseparable

by thermal_equilibrium



Category: Harry Potter - J. K. Rowling
Genre: M/M, light slash
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2016-04-06
Updated: 2016-04-06
Packaged: 2018-05-31 17:32:56
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 1
Words: 1,261
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/6479941
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/thermal_equilibrium/pseuds/thermal_equilibrium
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>The grey sign stood prominently on the front wall of the building. Deborah Levine, Marriage Counselor. Suite 204.</p><p>Lily wants James to go to marriage counseling, but all they seem to talk about is Sirius.</p>
            </blockquote>





	They Called Us Inseparable

**Author's Note:**

> Just a little something from a while ago. I know couples go into marriage counseling together. SHH.

The grey sign stood prominently on the front wall of the building. _Deborah Levine, Marriage Counselor. Suite 204._

James took a deep breath and lingered there in the lobby, taking a step forward and then instantly regretting it. He thought about just turning around and running home to Lily. He could show her that they didn't need this. He would gallop towards her and pick her up in his arms and swing her around. He would give her a smack on the lips and smile and her and tell her he loved her. He would buy her a dozen roses like he used to do back in school and place them all over town, sending her on one giant scavenger hunt to where he’d be waiting a dusk with her favorite candy. He would write her a song and learn to play the harmonica. He would take her to dinner and order all the desserts on the menu. Or buy her a car. Or a vacation to Italy. He would--he could--do _something!_ There must have been _something_ he could do!

But James could see the cracked half-smile on her face and the look of disappointment and distant resignation in her eyes if he came home instead of walking into the office. A sight he was used to lately.

He could go to Sirius'. Sirius, with his easygoing demeanor and lazy smiles. Glances that held for a second too long and turned into mischievous smirks if you kept on looking. Sirius, who would snicker if he heard and tell James with a smug pretentious grin that he was too good for the girl anyways. Sirius, who would look him right in the eye and remind him of the offer he made six years ago. They could be free and reckless and young forever. They could leave adulthood and responsibility behind, and roam the forest together.

But Harry. He was turning five next week. James was responsible for a child, he couldn’t be one. James could see Harry’s eyes, filled with trust and admiration as he clung to him. James was an adult now. Not just that, he was a father and husband too. He had a job and bills to pay and a family to take care of and marriage counselor meetings to go to.

James rubbed his eyes, straightened his tie, and opened the door to the stairs. He made his way up to the waiting room, where a young man greeted him with a smile.

“Name?” He said cheerfully. Too cheerfully for a marriage counseling office.

“James Potter.” He threw the man a forced smile back and fidgeted with his belt.

“Wonderful! Deb will be with you as soon as possible!” the receptionist trilled. James wondered if it was some sort of coping mechanism.

He dragged himself into one of the mildly uncomfortable chairs, and swept a glance and the dreary, beige room. Perhaps the decorator had been one of her clients. The clock on the wall was making those loud ticking noises that drive you up the wall until you get used to them, but then all of the sudden become much more noticeable when you’re lying in bed all alone and not able to sleep at night. Not that James knew anything about that, of course.

“James?” An older woman with piercing eyes and a no-nonsense look stuck her head out of the door. James stood up abruptly and brushed off his legs.

“That’s me,” he said charmingly.

The woman came out and stuck out her hand. “I’m Deb.”

“James.”

“I knew that already.” she said.

“Sorry. Reflex.”

She turned and James followed her into the small office, decorated only slightly cheerier than the room outside. The woman-Deb-sat down behind the desk, and James made himself slightly more comfortable in the chair opposite.

“So,” volunteered Deb. “How are you?”

“Fine.”

“Fine?” she retorted.

“Uh...good, you know. Good.”

“Good.” She stared at him expectantly.

“When did Lily see you?” he asked.

Deb leaned back in her chair. “She’s seen me a number of times.”

“Since when?”

“May.”

James thought about that for a second. Since _May._ That was four months ago.

“Why didn’t she ask me to come here sooner?” he pushed.

“I’ve been trying to get her to since our first appointment.” said Deb calmly. She looked down at the open notebook on the desk. “She told me...you got a promotion?”

James could tell she was warming him up, trying to get him to talk.

“Yeah, it’s been going pretty well. You know, for work. There was a salary increase, so that’s nice.” His foot was getting jittery.

Deb leaned forward. “Does it excite you?”

“Excite me?”

“Yes.”

“I don’t know.” He looked off, hesitant to make eye contact. “Should it?”

“You tell me.”

“I... guess...” he trailed. He paused, then sat up quickly. “You know, for someone who’s supposed to give me counsel, you’re making _me_ do a lot of the work.”

“I don’t give answers, I help others find them.” said Deb.

“‘Course.” James muttered under his breath as he watched Deb take some notes.

“And how’s Sirius?”

“Sirius?! What did Lily say about Sirius?”

“Both you and your wife have patient confidentiality.”

“Right. Of course.” said James. He took a shaky breath. How _was_ Sirius? “He’s good.”

Deb raised her eyebrows and clicked her pen.

“He’s been looking for a job.” James shifted in his chair. “Well, at least that’s what he’s been telling me. I think he enjoys just lying around the house all day, the bastard.” He smirked then stopped. “Sorry, I didn’t mean to swear.”

“It’s alright.” said Deb, her look still as unreadable as ever.

“He watched an _entire season_ of Game of Thrones...in a day! Kept muttering to himself for about it for like a month...” James moved his hands to the arms of the chair. “You can’t even stream it on Netflix. He literally ordered _physical copies_ of all 5 discs they had.”

“Really?” said Deb sarcastically.

“I mean...that’s just how he is. Couldn’t really imagine him doing a normal job or anything. His family was really posh; it’s in his blood I guess.”

“How long have you and Sirius been friends?” insisted Deb, looking up from her notes.

“Forever.” said James quickly, before backtracking. “Well since we were 11. Met at boarding school.” He paused. “Feels like forever.”

“And what was boarding school like?”

James thought about it for a second. “Interesting, I guess.”

“How so?”

“I mean, my entire life so far has been shaped by it, you know? My friends, my job, Lily...” James rubbed his face. “The classes weren’t that difficult. Sirius and I thought we were _so smart_ so we didn’t do, like _any_ of the homework and still managed to get decent grades. “

“So you were always close.”

“Yeah, they called us inseparable. And mischievous. We didn’t deny either. I mean, we thought we were a lot more rebellious than we probably were." James gazed at the potted plant on the desk and a fond smile crept on to his face.

"How rebellious were you, then?"

“Looking back on it?”

“Yes.”

“As much as you can get at a boarding school that’s caretaker breathes down everyone’s neck.” James chuckled.

“What did you do?”

“Oh, you know. Snuck out. Cigarettes. Pranks. That kind of thing.”

“Why?” asked Deb.

“Why?” James leaned back. “I don’t know. We were angry, I guess. Mostly Sirius. He was angry.”

“And you?”

“Me? I don’t know. I....Well, I wanted...to be free.”

**Author's Note:**

> If you liked, leave kudos and a comment. If you didn't, still do.


End file.
